George A. Cooper

Balding Leeds-born English character actor who usually portrayed stern, implacable or vindictive types. Initially trained as an electrical engineer and architect, Cooper became interested in the performing arts while doing his stint of national service with the Royal Artillery in India. He subsequently joined 'Joan Littlewood' (qv)'s Theatre Workshop in Manchester, at this time adding the initial 'A' to his stage name to avoid being confused with American actor 'George Cooper' (qv) (1920-2015). During the 60s and 70s he became a familiar face on British TV with numerous appearances in popular entertainments including _The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955)_ (qv), _Ivanhoe (1958)_ (qv), _Danger Man (1960)_ (qv), _The Avengers (1961)_ (qv), _Sherlock Holmes (1964)_ (qv) and _Softly Softly (1966)_ (qv). His gallery of characters more often tended towards the dark side: treacherous pirates (Cherub in _Doctor Who (1963)_ (qv)), authoritarian fathers (_Billy Liar (1973)_ (qv)), grumpy caretakers (_Grange Hill (1978)_ (qv)), dishonest businessmen (_Coronation Street (1960)_ (qv)) and cowardly braggarts (_An Age of Kings (1960)_ (qv)). The flip side contained clergymen, court officials and more than a few police inspectors. Cooper is also fondly remembered from several classic British sitcoms, in particular _Bless This House (1972)_ (qv) (as the cafe owner who ends of being 'caked'), _Steptoe and Son (1962)_ (qv) (as the self-serving Uncle Arthur) and _Rising Damp (1974)_ (qv) (as a stern father, appropriately named 'Mr. Cooper'). Cooper retired in 1995 and passed away on November 16 2018 in Petersfield, Hampshire, at the age of 93.::I.S.Mowis